HOW DOES DISPLAYING STUDENT WORK
CONTRIBUTE TO A SENSE OF COMMUNITY?
Displaying Student Work
Lakeita Salley
Harmony Leland Elementary
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO ESTABLISH ENVIRONMENT AT THE BEGINNING OF
THE SCHOOL YEAR?
To set the tone To establish rituals and routines To allow students to feel safe and able to
take risks To foster ownership and pride as a member
of a collective body
THE PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT
Seating arrangements Lighting The classroom library Access to materials Wall displays And so on…
DISPLAYING STUDENT WORK
Stop and Think:
What are some of the ways that you currently display
student work?
SO WHAT?
WHAT’S ON YOUR WALLS?
Less commercially made posters and
bulletin boards
More student work displayed or
collaboratively made charts
http://www.vickymoore2.com/bulletin_boards.cfm
THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL
Create Class Rules Togethero Students get to have a say-so
STUDENT GOALS
What do your students hope to accomplish this year?
Add photographs of students working towards their goals.
What are your goals as writers? What can you celebrate about yourself as a writer?
POST IDEAS AND SNIPPETS
Ideas for stories Story starters Words for imagery Cool words! Descriptions of settings Metaphors
STUDENT WORK
Show drafts as well as published works (works in progress!)
Commentary can be by teacher or peer Commentary should be specific to standard Display should change every two weeks Helpful if it spills out into the hallway
http://www.read180.00freehost.com/displays.htm
ANTHOLOGIES
Collections of student work (individual or many)
Can be on many different topics Prominently display them in classroom
http://www.wtc.ie
http://www.wtc.ie
GRAFFITI WALLS
Collaborative writing on a large sheet of paper
Based on a theme Personal responses, quotes, poems, images Can grow over time
Our 6th Grade Graffiti Walls Based on the book,
“Maniac Magee” by
Jerry SpinelliHTTP://WWW.NYLEARNS.ORG/STUDENTS WILL MAKE GRAFFITI WALLS BECAUSE IT HELPS THEM TO DISPLAY THEIR KNOWLEDGE OF THE BOOK WE ARE READING IN CLASS THROUGH VISUAL INTERPRETATION. ACCORDING TO CLAGGETT (1992) “THE USE OF GRAPHICS WILL HELP STUDENTS MAKE MEANING AS THEY READ, WRITE, AND ACT, [WHICH] IS FIRMLY ROOTED IN CURRENT THINKING ABOUT HOW THE MIND WORKS.” SHE ADAPTS “JUNG’S CONCEPTS OF THE FOUR PRIMARY WAYS THAT WE MAKE SENSE OUT OF THE WORLD" (PARAPHRASED AS "OBSERVING, ANALYZING, IMAGINING, AND FEELING") TO DESCRIBE ASPECTS OF A BALANCED APPROACH TO LEARNING. CLAGGETT FURTHER STATES THAT “THROUGH THE USE OF GRAPHICS, STUDENTS HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPERIENCE ALL FOUR FUNCTIONS AS THEY INTERACT WITH THE BOOKS THEY ARE READING AND THE ESSAYS AND STORIES THEY ARE WRITING.”
TEACHING STUDENTS TO VISUALIZE WHAT THEY ARE READING AND CREATE GRAPHIC SYMBOLS HELPS THEM DEVELOP AS READERS. FURTHERMORE, SHARING THEIR INDIVIDUAL RESPONSES IN COOPERATIVE GROUP ACTIVITIES DEEPENS THEIR UNDERSTANDING AND SKILL AS READERS AND WRITERS.
CONCLUSION
The displaying of student work allows students to feel a part of a community and fosters a sense of belonging.
Stop and ThinkWhat are some of the ways that you plan to display student work differently, or on a more
consistent level, to help build community?